Photos would help us help you

I think you intended to say, " Plumbing contractor indicates that we must remove and replace the shower pan as well to properly replace the drain."

Without seeing your drain, I'd guess he's correct. And when you get into the pan, you are almost always getting into a re-tile because it becomes very difficult to get the waterproofing under the tile right if you don't. It can happen - but who wants to warranty a repair job like that?

That looks like a custom pan shape - which means that you can't use a cast iron shower base, for example. It also means that you need a good tile person who knows how to do shower pans right (probably not your plumber). This site is full of posts by people who hired contractors who weren't up for the job. Talk to your plumber to see if they know people - it's a good place to start.

Hot Tip: Do a flooded pan test (plug drain and fill with water before any tile goes on and see if leaks over 24 hours). Also carefully inspect the installation of the tile backer and waterproofing on the walls before any tile goes on. Take pictures. If you have any questions put a stop to it until the questions are answered. Make sure your tile guy knows that's what you want up-front - it will weed some out.

You are into an expensive repair - no matter how often the bathroom gets used. Resist any notion that you can "reduce costs" because it's the guest bath. I'm not saying you need marble with gold fixtures, just don't try to shortcut anything that would involve waterproofing.

Can't help you on the creative side of things.

An acrylic pan, with a "cracked drain" is NOT going to require the entire thing being redone. Unless the pan is cracked, or the walls improperly installed to the pan. A cracked drain just needs the drain replaced from below. Call a different plumber. This guy is trying to scam you out of money for unneeded services.

Thank you Jake - yes, I meant shower pan (fixed it) and I appreciate your advice!

I had that problem and the guy I had work on my house sealed it from within the shower without tearing anything out. Of course we were selling that house and didn't care if it wasn't a permanent fix. It seems like you should be able to remove the floor and drain only and leave the wall tile as is.

@Minardi: OP stated it was a tile floor - unless I'm mistaken. It's not clear from the interior photos.

@rubyclaire Thanks for the drain photo. I don't know if there's a way to repair that drain... but I'd be really tempted to try it first.

That's a stress crack. I could see cleaning it with sandpaper or light wire brush on a drill, then apply narrow bands of fiberglass mesh embedded in fiberglass resin around the drain from the outside and then clean on inside and apply resin - injecting it into the crack as much as possible.

Let it cure - and then plug the pan and flood it to see if it leaks.

Thank you - I would love it if we could repair the drain!

Skipping down to relate a friend's experience with a similar issue (replacing the pan) in a ca. 1957 tiled shower. IIRC, they resolved it by leaving the wall tiles in place and retiling over the old floor, with a border that came up a few inches to cover the old contrasting border.

Thanks carol - I think my challenge with this shower is they will need to remove the tile "curb" which matches the wall, ceiling and floor tile now. If I have to remove a foot of wall tile, floor tile, curb and some doorway tile, I think it is going to look a bit makeshift. It is entirely possible I lack the vision for this type of project.